Nutrition Corner  by Ashley Acornley, RD, LDN Pack a Healthy Lunch The fall is a time for cooler weather, football, and most importantly, back to school! Not only do your children need to pack a healthy lunch everyday to keep their energy levels and immunity high, but parents need to focus on healthy eating at home and at the workplace, too. Now is the time to organize your grocery list, set a few boundaries, and have your entire family eating healthier at lunch! If you work from home, in an office, or are a fulltime mom, you have the same challenges; grabbing something quick from a take-out or fast food restaurant often seems like a quicker option, and involves less clean up, than preparing food at home. The problem with eating at restaurants is it's a more challenging environment to eat healthy. You are tempted with unhealthy choices and typically you are eating large portions. One of the best solutions to eating healthy is to pack your lunch, just like you do (or did!) for your children. Here are some reasons why: 1. Eating healthier is easier when you plan it. Start your healthy choices at the store. When you pack a healthy lunch for your children, you have to think ahead of what you are going to buy at the store and what you will make. Thinking ahead allows you to make smart choices and plan out a healthy meal plan. If you use this same method to pack your own lunches, you can make sure your selections are nutritious. 2. Packing your lunch saves time. When you have a crazy schedule, why not prepare for the week ahead of time? Get a jump start on the week by doing food prep on Sundays. For example, cut up fresh fruit and veggies and have them ready to go in the fridge. Or, make a big batch of brown rice to mix with chicken or beans throughout the week to make quick lunches on the go. Try different options to see what works best for your family. 3. Eating healthier doesn't have to be boring. Be creative with your ideas. Remember when the standard lunch was thought to be a sandwich, chips and a drink? No wonder going out to lunch seems so appealing. Just because you pack your lunch, doesn't mean it has to be bland or boring. Try adding new fruits, veggies, dips, yogurts, and sandwiches in your meals! 4. Reap the overall benefits. When you pack your lunch you can ensure you are getting all of your essential nutrients, eating plenty of fresh fruits and veggies each day, and getting the right mix of protein, carbs, and fats. Therefore, you can lose or maintain your weight more effectively and have more energy throughout the day. Start packing your lunch tomorrow and watch your health improve! Here are some creative lunch ideas you can mix and match to get you going: - Greek yogurt with fresh berries and walnuts
- Leftover whole wheat pasta salad with veggies
- Apples with natural peanut butter
- Water-packed tuna salad in a whole wheat pita
- Apple cranberry spinach salad
- Frozen smoothies to go (in an insulated lunchbox)
- Trail mix or nuts ( especially walnuts, pistachios and almonds)
- Cottage cheese with peaches
- Whole grain crackers with string cheese
- Mixed green salad with veggies and grilled chicken
- Baby carrots and hummus
- Hard-boiled eggs
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